Paleopathological, Trichological and Paleoparasitological Analysis of Human Skeletal Remains from the Migration Period Cemetery Prague-Zličín

Lenka Vargová, Ladislava Horáčková, Marcela Horáková, Hana Eliášová, Eva Myšková, Oleg Ditrich

Paleopathological, Trichological and Paleoparasitological Analysis of Human Skeletal Remains from the Migration Period Cemetery Prague-Zličín

Číslo: 1/2016
Periodikum: Interdisciplinaria Archaeologica

Klíčová slova: Migration Period, Vinařice cultural group, paleopathology, internal frontal hyperostosis, biparietal thinning, calcaneonavicular coalition, trichology, paleoparasitology, aDNA, molecular methods, Migrační období, kulturní skupina Vinařice, paleopatologie, vnitřní čelní hyperostóza, biparietální ředění, calcaneonavikulární koalice, trichologie, paleoparazitologie, aDNA, molekulární metody

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Anotace: The study deals with the paleopathological analysis of human skeletal remains found in 173 Vinařicecultural-group graves at Prague-Zličín from the early stage of the Migration Period (5th century). Because the osteological collection was fragmentary, skeletal remains of only 113 individuals were analysed (26 men, 33 women, 19 children, and 6 adolescents; the sex of 29 adults remained unspecified). Paleopathological diagnoses were grounded in macroscopic and X-ray examinations. Most frequently, skeletal remains showed progressive degenerative processes such as spondylosis (49.1%, evaluated cases n=53) and arthrosis (37.7%, evaluated cases n=69). Traces of healed traumas were detected in 8.8% (n=113) of all the preserved individuals. Demonstrations of inflammatory symptoms were observed in 16.8%, (n=113) of the cases, out of which were two suspected cases of tuberculosis. Regarding neoplastic diseases, only two benign tumours (skull osteomas) were diagnosed (3.9%, evaluated cases n=51). Internal frontal hyperostosis, biparietal thinning, and calcaneonavicular coalition were detected only sporadically. Cribra orbitalia was detected in the eye sockets of 7.1% (n=28) of the evaluated cases. Trichological analyses dealt with 203 samples, most of them were of recent or animal origin; only in four cases ancient human hair was found. To date the samples from graves No. 4, 11, 100–173 have been analysed and results of this analysis are presented in this study. Destruction of historical hair shafts was manifested by ragged and cracked cuticle scales, absence of cuticle scales, longitudinal loosened shafts and especially transversal fragmentation of hair shafts. Hair also showed marked damage owing to keratinophilic organisms. No human ectoparasites were found. Paleoparasitological analyses dealt with 30 samples from grave fillings; specifically from pelvic (n=16), head (n=1) and thoracic (n=13) area. Despite the very sensitive molecular methods we employed, no signs of parasitological DNA were found.